trombone

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: trom=bone

CIDE DICTIONARY

trombone, n. [It., aug. of tromba a trumpet: cf. F. trombone. See Trump a trumpet.].

•  A powerful brass instrument of the trumpet kind, thought by some to be the ancient sackbut, consisting of a tube in three parts, bent twice upon itself and ending in a bell. The middle part, bent double, slips into the outer parts, as in a telescope, so that by change of the vibrating length any tone within the compass of the instrument (which may be bass or tenor or alto or even, in rare instances, soprano) is commanded. It is the only member of the family of wind instruments whose scale, both diatonic and chromatic, is complete without the aid of keys or pistons, and which can slide from note to note as smoothly as the human voice or a violin. Softly blown, it has a rich and mellow sound, which becomes harsh and blatant when the tones are forced; used with discretion, its effect is often solemn and majestic.  [1913 Webster]
•  The common European bittern.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

trombone, n.
1 a a large brass wind instrument with a sliding tube. b its player.
2 an organ stop with the quality of a trombone.

Derivative

trombonist n.

Etymology

F or It. f. It. tromba TRUMPET

THESAURUS

trombone

English horn, alpenhorn, alphorn, althorn, alto horn, ballad horn, baritone, bass horn, bassoon, block flute, bombard, bourdon, brass choir, brass wind, brass-wind instrument, brasses, bugle, bugle horn, cello, claribel, clarinet, clarion, concert flute, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, corno di caccia, cornopean, cromorna, cymbel, diapason, double-bell euphonium, dulciana, euphonium, flute stop, foundation stop, fourniture, gamba, gedeckt, gemshorn, harmonic flute, helicon, horn, hunting horn, hybrid stop, key trumpet, koppel flute, larigot, lituus, lur, mellophone, melodia, mixture, mutation stop, nazard, oboe, octave, ophicleide, orchestral horn, organ stop, piccolo, plein jeu, pocket trumpet, posaune, post horn, principal, quint, quintaten, rank, ranket, reed stop, register, rohr flute, sackbut, saxhorn, saxtuba, serpent, sesquialtera, shawm, slide trombone, sliphorn, sousaphone, spitz flute, stop, stopped diapason, stopped flute, string diapason, string stop, tenor tuba, tierce, tremolo, tromba, trumpet, tuba, twelfth, unda maris, valve trombone, valve trumpet, vibrato, viola, voix celeste, vox angelica, vox humana

ROGET THESAURUS

trombone

Musical Instruments

N musical instruments, band, string-band, brass-band, orchestra, orchestrina, monochord, polychord, harp, lyre, lute, archlute, mandola, mandolin, mandoline, guitar, zither, cither, cithern, gittern, rebeck, bandurria, bandura, banjo, bina, vina, xanorphica, viol, violin, fiddle, kit, viola, viola d'amore, viola di gamba, tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass, bass viol, base viol, theorbo, double base, contrabasso, violone, psaltery, bow, fiddlestick, piano, pianoforte, harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord, manichord, clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle, pianino, Eolian harp, organ, harmonium, harmoniphon, American organ, barrel organ, hand organ, accordion, seraphina, concertina, humming top, flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet, clarinet, claronet, basset horn, corno di bassetto, oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais, corno Inglese, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto, serpent, bass clarinet, bagpipes, union pipes, musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes, reed instrument, sirene, pipe, pitch-pipe, sourdet, whistle, catcall, doodlesack, harmoniphone, horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide, French horn, saxophone, sax, buglehorn, saxhorn, flugelhorn, althorn, helicanhorn, posthorn, sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba, cymbal, bell, gong, tambour, tambourine, tamborine, drum, tom-tom, tabor, tabret, tabourine, taborin, side drum, kettle drum, timpani, tympani, tymbal, timbrel, castanet, bones, musical glasses, musical stones, harmonica, sounding-board, rattle, tam-tam, zambomba, reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon, xylophone, sordine, sordet, sourdine, sourdet, mute, (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND.